Chiltern District Local Plan

The Council has started preparing a new (emerging) Local Plan for Chiltern District.
The Local Plan will set out policies used to determine planning applications, site allocations or propose new development (e.g. housing or employment) and broader land designations (e.g. Green Belt areas).

Green Belt under Attack

Despite the concerted opposition to any building on the local green belt which was expressed at the initial consultation, the latest 'consultation' seeks our views on which green belt areas should be released for development. Green Belt land may only be released for sustainable development, and in exceptional circumstances. The council proposals do not meet either condition.

The consultation proposals

Green Belt development options on the CDC website; this section deals with Lye Green. Note that flood risk is the only infrastructure issue considered, while other areas have had a far wider range of objections discussed.

("Consultation responses received in the consultation period are now being processed and analysed to inform decisions on a draft Local Plan." - but have not been published ? 6/11/17 )

Consider the local property market and review the existing supply (Chapter 5);

Evidence future economic needs and employment forecasts (Chapter 6);

Establish the Objectively Assessed Need for housing (Chapter 7), including a review of the:

Balance between future workers and jobs; and

Market signals about the balance between demand for and supply of dwellings;

Consider overall housing requirements the needs for all types of housing (Chapter 8); and

Determine future employment land requirements (Chapter 9).

The Chiltern and South Bucks Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and National Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) require every local planning authority to assess the amount of land that is available for housing and economic development in its area. This is known as the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA). The Draft HELAA will provide part of the ongoing the evidence base for the Chiltern and South Bucks Emerging Local Plan 2014-36. It will:

Identify sites and broad locations with potential for development;

Assess their development potential; and

Assess their suitability for development and the likelihood of development coming forward (the availability and achievability)

Be finalised prior to the submission of the Plan.

At this stage the draft HELAA only considers sites within built areas or on previously developed land in the Green Belt. Other options identified through the Green Belt Assessment Phase 1 and Local Plan Regulation 18 and Issues and Options Consultation will be considered in the HELAA’s next iteration

Green Belt

Use of current Green Belt land is considered in the consultation document -

Appendix 2 Green Belt Strategic options (p30)

shows
areas near Chesham, Amersham ... being considered for housing

Appendix 5 - Strategic Employment Options.. (p45)

shows (similar) green belt areas near Chesham, considered for employment

This map shows the Green Belt assessment areas. Further details of some local greenbelt areas are